Chronicles of Demeter - The revenge of Ixion

By Patrice Martinez

As other books of this Patrice Martinez, this one is a mixature of future life in the space and the long ago past life and mythology of ancient Greece. It is an interesting novel, full of adventures, suitable for moments of relaxation. I think that author is well acquainted with life and myths in ancient world and he selflessly share his knowledges with his readers. This novel is an opportunity to learn about ancient Greeks, their belief system and their every day life but also to have fun and to follow the hero of the story Ixion in his adventures across the Universe.
I am sure that every reader will be grateful to the Mr. Martinez for creating this interesting and educational book.    

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Mar 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781547519316

Book preview

Chronicles of Demeter

Volume I

The revenge of Ixion

Patrice Martinez

I want to express my thanks to my wife Nadia

for her very precious aid

during many situations when this work almost passed from life to death ...

Chronicles of Demeter

Volume I

The revenge of Ixion

Patrice Martinez

"The Eupatrids have an excessive disproportion and an incredible appetite."

Solon

„From Greek to barbarian, from the woman to the slave.... Doesn't everybody exit from the same  

totality?"

Aristotle                 

Chronicles of Demeter:

... and you would wish, despite all, to benefit from the knowledge of the Ancients without paying anything? without get fulminated the lord Antigone, naturalist and geologist of the College of Sciences,  against his colleagues. How could we advance on the way to the knowledge if you don't bring your stone to the building? Don't forget: our project doesn't have chance to be finished unless we all put our forces together. The planet populated by the ludions, Tau-Thetis, is the keystone of our great environmental program 'Dionysus' and, as an honorable member of the Ecologists, l stay formal about steps to follow: like the tax for 'expense of war', you have to contribute to the expenses of the new program of the satellites... That space observatory is of huge importance for the observation of ludions. It's a real experimental opportunity that is offering itself to us! ... 

Speech of the researcher Antigone of Béotiein in the hemicycle of Sciences of the University of the New- Athens, during the third day of the first decade of the month of munychion, at the time of the 1615th olympiad.

1

THE PLOT

A silver arrow scratched the celestial vault:  the spacecraft was passing over lands of the planet Demeter. On the horizon, the constellation of the Griffon slowly emerged from the waves. The bluish shaded planet was only a simple shiny fragment within the New Hellenic Empire. Ixion turned his head in the direction of a vessel. The container ship looked like sleeping on a background of black velvet. Peacefully resting against the docks of Xartes, the cargo was resting after having crossed large vastness among different posts. 

The sailor had his skin dark and burnt because of bruisers but thanks to salty winds and the burning rays of tropical suns too. He was at a stage in his life where he was hesitating between withdrawing from maritime affairs and navigating on his own and embarking a new trading adventure. The navigator made his way to the tavern where he was coming by many times. He had to settle some affairs for which his boss asked him to intercede in his favor.

Towards the keystone of the sky, the brisk air was letting out the heat of the autumn to escape, the heat that had been collected during the day. The deserted dock stretched a few stadiums¹ alongside the New Ionian Coast. Faint light lanterns crisscrossed the pier where a drape of moisture was spread, a residue of salty sea screened by a sly breeze.

He entered the tavern, whose gray façade spotted by the effects of time gave it the appearance of a den. The place was dotted by some discharge torches. The bar owner put some order behind his counter, then he disappeared in an adjoining room.

An old man, ruined like an ancient auricsail², enjoyed his meal at one of the tables in the tavern. Even watching from behind, Ixion recognized him, the imposing vaulted skeleton could only belong to Thanos; a former mercenary of the royal phalanges, retired due to wartime injuries.

The sailor rushed into the room impregnated with the cooking smells and emanations of the smoke. He touched his shoulder against the seated customer, who was busy eating actively. Then he went towards the counter and in a rough voice broke the tranquility of the ambient.

-  Is there anybody to serve me in this feeder? Except for this old man whose destiny is to serve the worms of Xartes, he shouted in a thunderous voice.

-  By Zeus! replied the veteran. Is this the way how you talk to a former mercenary? I'll show you that the old man still has enough of strength! he retorted, blushing.    

Rejecting all his anger, the man stood up and he headed towards the stranger. He had a grayish complexion and his rebellious hair exhibited a chalky whiteness. When the former infantryman recognized Ixion, he fell from the clouds and arched his back, arms raised. Ixion! How could you leave your old Thanos for so long time? The old man hugged him, ready to crush him with affection. Didn’t you have to come home earlier? Come and sit down with me ... You must be starving. Everybody knows that on this kind of ship, the food serving are not very consistent. Cyran! Where did this innkeeper go? Our friend Ixion returned, bringing cyceon³ and a goblet of the best wine this hardworking seaman could get.

They headed towards the pedestal table. The old hoplite (a heavily armed foot soldier of ancient Greece) limped on the left leg; he shifted his weight on Ixion's shoulder. The barkeeper placed a goblet of wine on the table and a plate of oatmeal which aromatized the room with the smell of herbs and spices.  He seated down at table and spoke with the two friends:

-  Be welcome my boy! I hope your trip went under aegis of Zeus the Gracious. In any case, I‘ll always have a room to allocate you, so you can have some rest after your harassing long-courses.

-  So tell me! Where did you venture these days?

-  After rubbing up against various counters, we left for the city of New Cyrene where we traded salted fish, bags of cereals and some medicinal plants. The city is surprising. There is a temple to discover, it is the one dedicated to Zeus. His monumental temple dazzles you by its majesty, and if there is a port where you can dock, that is Apollonia II ... This Greek colony teems continually, at each transaction the merchant ships stops and leaves immediately ...

Ixion swallowed a sip of syrupy wine, and then took a spoon of oatmeal. The sailor took

off a sip from the goblet again.  A purple border was placed on his mouth, like a sensual grimace limiting with the ridiculous. In spite of his fatigue, he had enough energy to tell his friends about his wanderings. 

It was late when the fellows put an end to their talks.

-  Well! I'm waiting for you at the gym, tomorrow morning? You will see that I still have

enough forces to defeat you! concluded Thanos to his young friend.

Ixion smiled:

-  So be it, my friend, I am willing to take up your challenge ... Whether it's fighting or disc throwing.

On the Xartes dock, the merchant ship was slumbering, shaken by the rippling waves. On the

metal shell, the drifting of the sea went together with the beats of the time; in the meanwhile the drape of the Nyx, the goddess of the night, stretched and positioned itself over the inevitable movement of time.

***

Chronicles of Demeter:

... My child do you remember the king Leonidas... Hasn’t he fought, in spite of the fatal omens of the soothsayer Megistias? Leonidas had to fulfill his duty properly. And now ... that's what I expect from you: to fulfill your duty as a fighter!

Extract from correspondence of a protective war godmother to his young lieutenant Spartan, a few hours before the final attack of the Persian forces against the hoplite phalanges of the Athenian strategist Cimon; the fight was a slaughter.

––––––––

2

A SOUL FOR THANATOS

Some cirrus circled over the Ionian meadows, letting passer darting rays of the morning sun. The swifts ran after the insects, their flights at low altitude brushed high grasses and the plants that flourished in New Messenia.

On a beaten soil plateau, our two friends opposed each other in a martial ritual; bodies soaked in oil rubbed each other, caught each other; a choreography out of which one of the two men could emerge victorious at any moment.

-  And do not think that, despite my disability, you have to allow yourself to give me favors!

exclaimed Thanos.

The wrestlers were squeezing each other, tanned by the sun and the oils. Their hands slid on

the greased limbs, everyone hoped to find the move to bring the other down. Thanos wedged his opponent against his ribs and right thigh. The two men came together, their breaths mixed for a moment. Ixion smiled at his friend. Their foreheads were in touch; their sweat and essential oils were mixed into a unique blend of scents.

-  Have you at least implored Ares to grant you strength and energy? asked Ixion.

-  I have nothing to do with the god of war! My experience will make the difference, facing the fervor of your youth. Having stayed so long on a ship that has softened your body and mind. I feel you staggering ...

-  You are wrong! I am one with you; I will pierce your shell!

They pivoted together. Cloud scarves swirled over their heads, and became for a time their common halo. Ixion found a move, made a key, and sent the colossus with feet of clay on the sand carpet. He held out his hand and helped him up.

-  I swear by my faith! exclaimed Thanos, I still have enough strength to correct you, as a father corrects his child.

They laughed good heartedly at this age mixing wrestling game, they gave each other a hug, like a father and his son whose competitions would have brought them together. 

They went to the bath; the columns surrounded the L-shaped indoor pool, like a battalion of giants who were letting seat and presence to the populace in this place where they came to relax. The ceramics, in primary colors, set the tone of the whole bath. The interior pediment was decorated with a mosaic, on blue sky background, representing a lake dominated by the presence of two swans. The tiles covered the building and in this way the architectural setting was closed. At the bottom of the pool, another mosaic, the naiads playing with dolphins, brought the finishing touch: this mythological embellishment enhanced the basin.

Our two friends were lounging at the other end of the pool and talking about many things in life:

-  Have you finally found your soul mate?

-  No, but I think about it.

-  You have gone well beyond the stage of the gynaeceum (the women's apartments in an ancient Greek or Roman house), you're not going to end up erast⁴, watching young people on the way out of school!

Ixion laughed simplemindedly:

-  Don’t worry about my pleasures, he replied.

-  Tell me about your projects, how do you see the future?

-  The deities are definitely silent to me. I have a captivating job where adventure meets trading, and where the loneliness of the sailor is opposed to the crowds of merchants and hawkers who are abounding in the coastal cities, and yet, I hesitate to break with this marine world and move towards agriculture to plant some olive trees and to cultivate the land.

-  Ugh! What